When using communications systems, individual users are generally interconnected via user devices that are associated with a unique identifier to enable communication among multiple nodes within the communication systems. For example, in a telecommunication system, the identifier is commonly referred to as a “telephone number,” which is dialed or inputted with an originating user device to reach a user device (e.g., a telephone) at a particular network termination point associated with the identifier. Given the enormous number of user devices and users within communications systems, each user may desire to retain these identifiers in an accessible medium, such as an electronic address book. Electronic address books may be networked to allow accessibility from a plurality of user devices or transferred to store in local memory of a user device. Electronic address books are commonly formatted in a data structure relating one or more records with varying information, such as addresses, names, etc.
Directory assistance services are commonly used in communication systems to provide listing information to communication systems users. Generally, directory assistance services use a directory or a database containing names, addresses, and telephone numbers for respective users. For example, in the North American public switched telephone network, a user desiring particular listing information dials a directory assistance access code, for example “411,” and connects with a directory assistance service. The user generally provides listing information such as a name (e.g., business name, surname, etc.) and/or locality information (e.g., zip codes, state names, cities, etc.) associated with a desired listing record. If the directory assistance service matches the listing information to a particular listing record, a human operator or a recorded message file communicates additional listing information (e.g., a telephone number) associated with the particular listing record to the user. However, to use the requested telephone number in the future, the user must memorize the listing information, manually record the listing information, or call back to the directory assistance service.
After the directory assistance service communicates the additional listing information to the user, the directory assistance service creates a billing feed to charge a particular user for the service. This billing feed may include a phone number or any other unique account identifier for the user and the phone number provided for the matched listing. Generally, this billing feed is sent to a customer records information system (“CRIS”), which bills and records the directory service usage.